Selekt vs FilterPixel
FilterPixel uses cloud-based AI to auto-sort your photos into keepers, review, and rejects. Selekt keeps everything on your machine and lets you organize by scene, compare side-by-side, and make every pick yourself. Same goal, very different approaches.
Two different approaches
Selekt: local and in control
Selekt runs entirely on your device. Your images never leave your machine. You organize shots into scenes, compare them side-by-side, and pick winners with keyboard shortcuts. Fast, private, and fully offline.
- Images never uploaded to the cloud
- Works anywhere, even without internet
- Apps on Mac and Windows now, iOS and Android coming soon
FilterPixel: cloud AI
FilterPixel uploads your images to cloud servers where AI analyses them and sorts into three tiers: keepers, review, and rejects. Genre-specific modes adapt the AI to sports, weddings, conferences, and other event types.
- AI sorts images automatically
- Genre-specific modes for events
- Claims 3-minute processing time
Key differences
Offline vs cloud
Selekt processes everything locally. FilterPixel requires uploading your images for cloud AI processing. For photographers who keep client images private or shoot in locations without reliable internet, this matters.
Desktop now, mobile soon
Selekt runs on macOS and Windows today, with iOS and Android apps coming soon. FilterPixel is desktop only. Soon you'll review selects on your iPad between shoots or make quick picks on your phone while traveling.
$8/mo vs $108/yr
Lower pricing, plus Selekt includes a full-featured free tier with unlimited culling. FilterPixel offers 4 free projects to start, then you pay. Selekt's free plan has no time limit or project caps.
The privacy question
Cloud processing means uploading client images
FilterPixel's AI runs in the cloud. That means your client's wedding photos, corporate headshots, or private event images get uploaded to external servers for processing. For many photographers, this raises questions about client privacy, data handling, and contractual obligations.
Local processing keeps everything private
Selekt processes everything on your device. Your images, your metadata, your selections never leave your machine unless you explicitly export them. No cloud accounts, no upload wait times, no bandwidth costs, no privacy concerns.
Offline shoots are real
Remote weddings, destination shoots, outdoor events with spotty cell service. FilterPixel can't process without internet. Selekt works everywhere your laptop goes.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Selekt | FilterPixel |
|---|---|---|
| Photo culling workflow | ||
| Keyboard-driven culling (P/M/X/U) | ||
| Auto-advance on rate | ||
| Scene-based grouping | ||
| Side-by-side comparison | ||
| RAW file support (400+ cameras) | ||
| AI auto-culling (hands-off) | ||
| Genre-specific AI modes | ||
| AI auto-tagging | ||
| AI face detection | ||
| Works fully offline | ||
| Lightweight desktop app (no bundled Chromium) | ||
| Rust-powered image processing | ||
| iOS and Android apps | ||
| Free tier available | ||
| AI smart crop for social | ||
| Social export presets (IG, TikTok) | ||
| Lightroom XMP export | ||
| Cloud-based processing |
= Partial or limited
Pricing
Selekt
Free / $8/mo for Pro
Unlimited culling on the free plan with no project limits. Pro ($8/mo, $12 AUD) adds AI tagging, smart crop, and social export presets. Available on Mac and Windows, with iOS and Android coming soon.
FilterPixel
$8.99/mo ~$108/yr
First 4 projects free, then monthly subscription. Cloud-based AI culling with genre-specific modes. Desktop only (Mac and Windows).
Which one is right for you
Choose Selekt if you:
- Want to keep client images private and local
- Need to cull offline or in low-connectivity locations
- Prefer scene-based organisation over flat AI sorting
- Want mobile culling on iPad or phone (coming soon)
- Value making every creative decision yourself
Choose FilterPixel if you:
- Shoot high-volume events and want AI to sort the first pass
- Need genre-specific AI tuning (sports, conferences, festivals)
- Always have reliable internet when culling
- Are comfortable uploading client images for cloud processing
Common questions
Does FilterPixel delete my rejected photos?
No. FilterPixel sorts images into folders (keepers, review, rejects) but doesn't delete anything. Rejects are recoverable with one click. Selekt similarly never deletes, it flags images with pick/reject status that you can change at any time.
Can I use Selekt without internet?
Yes, fully. Import, cull, organize, and export all work offline. FilterPixel requires an internet connection for its cloud-based AI processing.
What about FilterPixel's "deliver during the event" claim?
FilterPixel markets the ability to cull and deliver images while still at an event. This relies on fast internet at the venue and cloud processing time. With Selekt's keyboard-driven workflow, experienced photographers cull at 1-2 seconds per image locally, which is fast enough for same-day delivery without depending on upload speeds or cloud availability.
Try Selekt free
No credit card, no trial period, no cloud uploads. Import a shoot and see how scene-based culling feels. If it clicks, Pro is $8/month.
Download Selekt